Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake)

Makes two small pancakes
This dish is often described as a Japanese pizza as you can put whatever toppings you like on it just like a pizza and it is sliced like into wedges like one. The basic ingredients, however, are more like a pancake. In Japan it is cooked in restaurants on a griddle plate which with it's even distribution of heat would be perfect for this type of thing. It is usually served with an okonomi sauce and or mayonnaise. Use a tonkatsu sauce or a bbq sauce from this book if you can't find any okonomi sauce. I found some in my local Chinese supermarket. There are countless recipes on the internet so have a search for further inspiration. The recipe here is a condensation of many of these recipes.
For the pancake batter 200g (1 cup) self raising flour 200ml (1 cup) water 1 teaspoon miso 1 teaspoon stock powder 200ml (1 cup) milk 4 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 180g (6oz) white cabbage 4 spring onions For the filling 8 mushrooms 180g (6oz) beansprouts Vegetable oil for frying	Thinly slice the cabbage and finely chop the spring onions. Mix all of the batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to break up the eggs and mix in the thick miso. Place a non stick pan over a medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the surface of the pan. lightly fry the mushrooms until they start to brown.
	Add a little more oil and then add a small ladle of the batter to the pan. Allow it to sizzle for a minute. Don't turn the heat up too high otherwise the base will brown too much. If anything if you are unsure keep the heat quite low as it will take longer but it will still cook without browning too much.
	Add a handful of the filling and cook for another minute.
	Then add another ladle of the batter. Keep cooking until the pancake is firm enough to turn over with a spatula. Run a knife down the sides to release the pancake first though.
	Turn it over and fry the other side until the pancake is cooked completely cooked through. Turn the heat down if it looks like it is burning. Insert a small knife into the pancake to see if is cooked through. If no uncooked batter is visible then turn it out onto a plate. Serve with one of the sauces mentioned at the top of the page and some japanese mayonnaise.

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Miso is a salty paste made from the fermentation of soy beans, rice or barley. there are two main types white miso and red miso. The white miso tends to be much sweeter and is the one I prefer but don't worry if you don't know which one to choose (there are many varieties) all types will work fine in the recipes in this book.
Okonomi sauce is a sweet Japanese condiment used for Japanese pancakes among other dishes. The sauce is a blend of fruit and vegetables with twenty spices giving it a mellow flavour. It can be purchased in the UK - I found some in my local Chinese supermarket - but it can be bought online if you want to try it.
Japanese mayonnaise is lovely. It's worth seeking out a bottle. Havea look in your local Asian supermarket. If you can't find any fear not as traditional western mayonnaise works perfectly well with this dish.